THE TRUE THRUSHES. 269 



of the bird, it is one of the first to succumb in winter, if 

 snow covers the ground for any length of time. Numbers 

 perish in severe winters, and the bird is then forced to seek for 

 berries in every place it can, and may then be found frequent- 

 ing the gardens in the middle of the towns, while it is also 

 driven in its distress to seek for food with the Song-Thrushes 

 and Starlings at the hands of the bird-protectors. We have 

 often seen Mistle-Thrushes feeding in our garden on the bar- 

 ley-meal which is daily provided for the starving birds in hard 

 winters. 



From its habit of singing from the top of a tree in boisterous 

 weather, the bird has got the name of " Storm-cock," and it 

 sings throughout the winter. The song is somewhat monoton- 

 ous, but the notes are mellow, and may be compared to those 

 of the Ring-Ouzel. 



Nest. A somewhat rough structure outside, composed of 

 grass and moss, with pieces of wood, then lined with mud or 

 clay, and neatly finished with finer grass inside. It is seldom 

 found in evergreens, but is often discovered in old fruit or thorn- 

 trees, where it is generally concealed by the decoration of 

 lichens which the birds add to the outside of the nest, thereby 

 rendering it indistinguishable from the lichen-covered boughs. 

 It is sometimes built at a great height from the ground. 



Eggs. Four or five in number. Ground-colour stone-grey 

 or clay-colour, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown, 

 generally distributed over the eggs, sometimes inclining to 

 purplish-brown or black. The underlying spots are distinct, 

 and of a light brown or dull grey colour. Occasionally the 

 ground-colour is creamy-buff, the spotting being the same. 

 Axis, i 'i 5-1 '35 inch ; diam., 0*85-0*90. The shape of the eggs 

 varies considerably, some being rounded and others very long. 



IV. THE FIELDFARE. TURDUS PILARIS. 



Turdus pilaris. Linn., Syst. Nat, i., p. 291 (1766); Macg., 

 Br. B., ii., p. 105 (1839); Dresser, B. Eur., ii., p. 141, 

 pis. 4, 5 (1870); Newt. ed. Yarr., i., p. 272 (1872); 

 Seeb., Cat. B. Brit. Mus., v., p. 205 (1881); id. Br. B., i., 

 p. 228 (1883) ; B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 2 (1883) ; Lilford, 

 Col. Fig. Br. B., pt. i. (1885) ; Saunders, Man., p. 7 (1889). 



